U.S. patent application number 12/747769 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-21 for mbms bearer establishment reconfiguration and release.
Invention is credited to Caroline Jactat.
Application Number | 20100265868 12/747769 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39016522 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100265868 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jactat; Caroline |
October 21, 2010 |
MBMS BEARER ESTABLISHMENT RECONFIGURATION AND RELEASE
Abstract
The invention provides for a method of MBMS bearer control in a
mobile radio communications network by way of NAS signaling, the
method including employing a NAS signal for the control of a
plurality of MBMS bearers and so as to allow for bearer
establishment, reconfiguration and release in a signal step.
Inventors: |
Jactat; Caroline; (Reading,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE MION, PLLC
2100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20037
US
|
Family ID: |
39016522 |
Appl. No.: |
12/747769 |
Filed: |
December 1, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
December 1, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2008/072209 |
371 Date: |
June 11, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
370/312 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 72/005
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/312 |
International
Class: |
H04H 20/71 20080101
H04H020/71 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 13, 2007 |
GB |
0724315.7 |
Claims
1. A method of MBMS bearer control in a mobile radio communications
network by way of NAS signaling, the method including employing an
NAS signal for the control of a plurality of MBMS bearers.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said control
comprises establishment of the MBMS bearer.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said control
comprises the reconfiguration of the MBMS bearer.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said control
comprises the release of the MBMS bearer.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said NAS signaling
comprises a session management signaling.
6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the session management
signal comprises a session management control request signal.
7. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the session management
signal comprises a session management control response signal.
8. A method as claimed in claim 1 and arranged for multiple MBMS
EPS bearer control by way of the said NAS signals.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said NAS signal
includes a list of MBMS EPS bearers.
10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said NAS signal
includes a list of MBMS EPS bearers in dedicated MBMS bearer signal
messages sent between a serving gateway and MME entities.
11. A method as claimed in claim 1, and arranged for multiple MBMS
bearer service control by way of the said NAS signal.
12. A mobile radio communications device for operation within a
mobile radio communication network and arranged to offer MBMS
bearer control by way of NAS signaling, the device being arranged
to provide an NAS signal for the control of a plurality of MBMS
bearers.
13. A device as claimed in claim 12 and arranged such that the NAS
signaling comprises session management signaling.
14. A device as claimed in claim 12 and arranged for multiple MBMS
EPS bearer control by way of the said NAS signal.
15. A device as claimed in claim 12, arranged for multiple MBMS
bearer services controlled by way of the said NAS signal.
16. A device as claimed in claim 12, and arranged to be responsive
to a bearer control request signal as received from the
network.
17. A mobile radio communication network device for operation with
a mobile radio communications network and arranged to offer MBMS
bearer control by way of NAS signaling, the network device being
arranged to receive and/or provide an NAS signal for the control of
a plurality of MBMS bearers.
18. A network device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the NAS
signaling comprises session management signaling.
19. A network device as claimed in claim 17 and arranged for
multiple MBMS EPS bearer control by way of the said NAS signal.
20. A network device as claimed in claim 17 and arranged for
multiple MBMS bearer services control by way of the said NAS
signal.
21. A network device as claimed in claim 17 and arranged to deliver
the said NAS signal to a mobile radio communications device such as
a mobile radio communications device for operation within a mobile
radio communication network and arranged to offer MBMS bearer
control by way of NAS signaling, the device being arranged to
provide an NAS signal for the control of a plurality of MBMS
bearers, and to receive a NAS signal for the control of plurality
of MBMS bearers from an MME within the network.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a method of MBMS bearer
control which can provide for bearer establishment, reconfiguration
or release, and to a mobile radio communications device, and
related network device, providing for such bearer control.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] With regard to known Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services
(MBMS) features, a MBMS user service can be provided by one of a
plurality of MBMS bearer services.
[0003] For example, in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) scenario an MBMS
bearer service can make use of several MBMS Evolved Packet System
(EPS) bearers and each of which is specific to a particular media
stream, i.e. different traffic type such as Voice over IP
Multimedia Subsystem (VoIMS) and realtime gaming. Such spreading of
the media streams across the MBMS EPS bearers helps to achieve the
required radio bearer Layer 2 Quality of Service (QoS).
[0004] Typically therefore, a streaming MBMS user service is
carried on one MBMS EPS bearer for the video media stream and on
another MBMS EPS bearer for the audio media stream.
[0005] Also, LTE QoS and Universal Mobile Telecommunications
Service (UMTS) QoS are known to have different granularities which
further provides for the spreading of the different media stream.
For Example, within UMTS QoS, four different media classes exist
comprising conversational, streaming, interactive and background
and an MBMS streamer user service requirements can be fulfilled by
way of an MBMS steaming bearer service.
[0006] With regard to LTE QoS, two classes exists comprising
Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR) and non-GBR and the MBMS streaming user
service requirement can be fulfilled by way of a GBR bearer for
example, for speech media, and a non-GBR bearer for example for
video media.
[0007] Also, at the time of Radio Access Technology (RAT) handover
to, for example, E-UTRAN for a MBMS service, it is realized that
many MBMS contexts may exist. In such a scenario, the Core Network
(CN) is arranged to re-establish the bearers in the target E-UTRAN
system in the direction of the mobile radio communications device
User Equipment (UE). Each MBMS context is mapped to one MBMS EPS
bearer and on the basis of QoS mapping that can be performed by the
Mobile Management Entity (MME) during the 3GPP RAT handover. Then,
upon handover to the E-UTRAN, the MME can be required to
re-establish the multiple ongoing bearers due to the previously
established, QoS mapping.
[0008] Currently, the signaling arising between the network and the
UE provides for a sequential establishment of MBMS bearer services,
or indeed the MBMS EPS bearers so that the various media steams and
contexts are established sequentially.
[0009] Such sequential signaling also arises during reconfiguration
and release of the multiple MBMS EPS bearers.
[0010] Such known method of operation has a disadvantageous effect
on MBMS service reception and also leads to potential signaling
overhead in the EPS system, for example at the E-UTRAN and S1
interfaces.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0011] The present invention seeks to provide for a method MBMS
bearer control and to related mobile radio communication devices
and network devices, having advantages over known such methods and
devices.
[0012] According to a first aspect of the present invention there
is provided a method of MBMS bearer control in a mobile radio
communications network by way of Non Access Stratum (NAS)
signaling, the method of including employing a NAS signal for the
control of a plurality of MBMS bearers.
[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention there
is provided a mobile radio communications device for operation
within a mobile radio communication network and arranged to offer
MBMS bearer control by way of the said NAS signaling, the device
being arranged to provide a NAS signal for the control of a
plurality of MBMS bearers.
[0014] According to a further aspect of the invention, there is
provided a mobile radio communications network device for operation
with a mobile radio communications network and arranged to offer
MBMS bearer control by way of NAS signaling, the network device
being arranged to receive and/or provide a NAS signal for the
control of a plurality of MBMS bearers.
[0015] The invention is described further hereinafter by way of
example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a signaling diagram relating to MBMS EPS bearer
establishment in accordance with the current art; and
[0017] FIG. 2 is a similar signaling diagram but illustrating the
signaling arising in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0018] Turning first therefore to FIG. 1 there is illustrated
signaling arising within a LTE MBMS based scenario and upon MBMS
multicast service activation.
[0019] The network arrangement comprises UE 10, such as a cell
phone handset, a network node as a eNB 12, MME 14, a serving
Gateway (GW) 16 and a broadcast/multicast service centre (BMSC)
18.
[0020] The signaling commences with an Internet Group Management
Protocol (IGMP) signal 20 containing an IP Multicast address and
which is delivered through the network to the serving GW 16.
[0021] MBMS operation is then authorized as indicated and this
leads to a request signal 22 from the serving GW 16 to the MME 14
for one of the required media streams, for example video, in the
restricted embodiment and which therefore effectively includes a
Tunnel Endpoint for the video bearer.
[0022] In response, a bearer setup request signal 24 is sent from
the MME 14 and the eNB 12. In further detail the bearer setup
request signal 24 contains a NAS message comprising a Session
Management (SM) configuration request including linked EPS bearer
identification, IPMC address and reference to the first MBMS EPS
bearer Traffic Flow Template (TFT).
[0023] The radio bearer setup request comprising an NAS message 26
is then effectively forwarded from the eNB 12 to the UE 10. In
reply, the UE 10 issues a radio bearer setup response 28 itself
comprising a NAS message including SM configuration response
relating to the first MBMS EPS bearer.
[0024] Once received at the eNB 12, the setup response is then
delivered as a signal 30 to the MME 14 which confirms creation of
dedicated bearer by way of a response signal 32 delivered to the
serving GW 16.
[0025] The bearer required for the video media stream is thus
created.
[0026] A similar scenario then proceeds in relation to the further
required media stream such as an audio media stream in the
illustrated embodiment.
[0027] That is, a create dedicated bearer request 34 is delivered
from the serving GW 16 to the MME 14 which, in turn, is delivered
to the eNB 12 as a NAS message comprising SM configuration request,
linked EPS bearer identification, IBMC address and a second MBMS
EPS bearer with TFT.
[0028] A radio bearer setup message 38 from the eNB 12 is then
received at the UE 10 and a subsequent response 40 is returned to
the eNB 12 for onward delivery to the MME 14. The subsequent
response 40 is transferred, as a signal 42, from the eNB 12 to the
MME 14.
[0029] The MME 14 can then confirm creation of the dedicated bearer
by way of a further response signal 44 delivered to the serving GW
16 and so as to confirm establishment of the second radio bearer as
required for the audio media stream.
[0030] Such a process as described above, and as illustrated in
FIG. 1, can continue insofar as other media stream bearer are
required.
[0031] As will be appreciated from reference to FIG. 1, the
establishment of the required MBS bearer is very much a sequential
process and the present invention has determined that this can lead
to disadvantageous service reception restrictions and signaling
lading in the EPS system.
[0032] Turning now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated signaling
arising as in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.
[0033] The signaling is again illustrated in relation to the UE 10,
eNB 12, MME 14, serving GW 16 and BMSC 18 as illustrated in FIG.
1.
[0034] Also FIG. 2 illustrates a signaling arising subsequent to
MBMS authorization and wherein a dedicated bearer request signal 46
is delivered from the serving GW 16 to the MME 14 and relating to
all required media streams such as, for example, both video and
audio streams. The signal 46 therefore comprises a list of tunnel
end points for video and audio bearers.
[0035] An appropriate bearer setup request 48 is then delivered
from the MME 14 to the eNB 12 and, again, relating to both the
video and audio media streams.
[0036] As with the signaling illustrated in relation to FIG. 1, the
bearer setup request 14 comprises a NAS SM configuration request
message with linked EPS bearer ID and IPMC address data but also
including multiple MBMS EPS bearer identities and TFTs each
relating to one of the plurality of media streams, in this example,
to bearer identities relating to the video and audio media
streams.
[0037] A NAS radio bearer message 50 is then delivered from the eNB
12 to the UE 10 which in turn generates a radio bearer setup
response 52 again comprising a NAS SM configuration but this time
comprising a NAS SM configuration response message including MBMS
EPS bearer identities for the two bearers.
[0038] The bearer setup response 54 is then delivered onwards from
the eNB 12 to the MME 14 and the procedure concludes with a signal
56 from the MME to the serving GW 16 confirming creation of a
dedicated bearer and comprising a list of the tunnel and points for
the video and audio bearers.
[0039] Thus, as will be appreciated from the reference to FIG. 2,
the establishment of the plurality of required radio bearers is
effectively completed in one step and this leads to improved user
experience having regard to improved MBMS serving reception, and
also to reduction in the signaling load that would otherwise arise
across the EPS system.
[0040] As should be appreciated, the present invention presents the
novel concept of including a list of MBMS, EPS bearers within the
NAS (SM) signaling messages.
[0041] Yet further, a list of MBMS EPS bearers in dedicated MBMS
bearer signaling messages between the serving GW and MME entities
and generally comprising the 51 interface, can be provided.
[0042] As a further feature of the invention, the MME 14 can be
arranged to process the dedicated bearer request signal 56 as
indicated and which includes the multiple tunnel endpoints for the
MBMS EPS bearer.
[0043] Insofar as the invention allows for reestablishment of
required bearers in one step as compared with the sequential steps
of the prior art, user-experience can be improved from improved
service reception and signaling overload within the EPS system can
likewise advantageously avoided.
[0044] In particular, the said control can comprise one of the
establishment reconfiguration or release of the MBMS bearer.
[0045] Of course the said NAS signaling can comprise session
management signaling.
[0046] Further, the session management signal can comprise a
session management control request signal, or indeed a session
management control response signal.
[0047] The method can further be arranged for multiple MBMS EPS
bearer control by way of the said NAS signals.
[0048] The said NAS signal can include a list of MBMS EPS bearers,
and/or a list of MBMS EPS bearers in dedicated MBMS bearer signal
messages sent between a serving gateway and MME entities.
[0049] Multiple MBMS bearer service control can therefore
advantageously be achieved by way of the said NAS signal.
[0050] The NAS signaling can comprise session management signaling,
and the device can further be arranged for multiple MBMS EPS bearer
control by way of the said NAS signal.
[0051] Multiple MBMS bearer services can also be controlled by way
of the said NAS signal.
[0052] The device can then also be responsive to a bearer control
request signal as received from the network.
[0053] Again the NAS signaling can comprise session management
signaling, and the device can be arranged for multiple MBMS EPS
bearer control by way of the said NAS signal.
[0054] The device can also be arranged for multiple MBMS bearer
services control by way of the said NAS signal, and/or arranged to
deliver the said NAS signal to a mobile radio communications device
such as that defined above.
[0055] While the invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to an exemplary embodiment thereof, the
invention is not limited to this embodiment. It will be understood
by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form
and details may be made therein without departing from the sprit
and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.
[0056] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority from United Kingdom patent application No. 0724315.7,
filed on Dec. 13, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated
herein it its entirety by reference.
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